Mirror Mirror
by ClaireWalters
Summary: Harry can't sleep and actually opens Sirius' gift. Set in OotP.


**Disclaimer: Harry Potter by Rowling.**

 **A/N: Please enjoy this little brainchild that sprung from the depths of my imagination while I lay awake last night worrying about my exams. Also, this is total stress-relief writing. I'll probably be uploading a lot of stuff over the next three weeks while I write exams. I have a bad case of 'procrastinatinitis' unfortunately. Cheers!**

 **Mirror Mirror**

Harry startled awake to piercing hot pain running straight through his head. It was still dark, but he could see flashes of light swimming in his vision. Suppressing a hiss of pain, he squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the dancing lights to stop, and the pain in his scar to ease to a dull throb. A pearl of sweat rolled down his forehead. The images of his nightmare, flashbacks of winding mazes and dark graveyards, flashed across the inside of his eyelids. Harry gripped his hair, pulling at it in an attempt to get the images to leave. He was thankful that he didn't scream.

Relief came after several minutes, allowing Harry to enjoy the quiet of the dormitory. His fellow Gryffindors breathed deep and even, interrupted only by the occasional mumble from Ron's bed, or Seamus' snoring. It was comforting, even with the tense atmosphere around school. At least it felt more like home than Harry could ever remember prior to Hogwarts.

As he lay in the dark, Harry started going over different subjects that he could bring up at the next DA meeting. He had no idea what they would need out on the field. Honestly, he often wondered why everyone put so much faith in him. So far, he had only survived thanks to luck and his friends. Time ticked by on a clock near Dean's bed. Harry knew he wouldn't be going back to sleep. If he closed his eyes now, he would only fall right back into the dream.

A heavy knot filled with a very familiar emotion had formed in Harry's chest, right below his heart. He swallowed harshly, a small voice wishing that just maybe he could have been a fugitive with Sirius. It might've been better than the chaos that was Hogwarts this year, no matter how much he loved the school. Having lost track of time, Harry sat up, deciding to do something instead of lying around brooding. As quietly as possible, and Harry prided himself with quiet, he had many years at the Dursley's to practice; he crept to his trunk, rummaging for his invisibility cloak. A nice walk wouldn't hurt him. He found the cloak easily, the fabric comfortable under his hands, and searched for the map so he could keep an eye out for teachers. Instead, his hand closed around a medium sized square package, obviously badly wrapped.

 _"I want you to use it if you need me, all right?"_

The words echoed through Harry's head, and in an instant, he somehow knew what to do. Clutching the parcel tightly in his hand, he swung the cloak over himself, leaving swiftly. Not much later, he stood in the middle of the room of requirements, which had come with a comfortable sofa. With shaking hands, Harry undid the hasty packing, and stared with confusion at the mirror in his hand. Carefully, he turned the mirror around, reading the note written in delicate, looping handwriting:

 _This is a two-war mirror, I've got the other one of the pair. If you need to speak with me, just say my name into it; you'll appear in my mirror and I'll be able to talk in yours. James and I used to use them when we were in separate detentions._

Harry felt his heart leap into his throat, and he turned it around, staring at the smooth surface.

"Sirius?" He asked, feeling a bit stupid. Nothing happened for a minute or so, then the surface change. Harry felt a sudden excitement rush through him as his Godfather stared back out. Sirius' eyes were wide with disbelief and a little bit of hope.

"Harry?" He asked almost warily. Harry let out a laugh, one that was slightly hysterical.

"Sirius! This – How? This is amazing!" At his words, Sirius' face split into a grin, lighting up with laughter than seemed to make him look years younger.

"Harry! I was wondering if you would ever pick it up!" Sirius seemed beside himself with glee, looking around. It was the most animated Harry had since him since they had met in that cave last year. "Moony! Look!" The mirror swivelled and Harry could see Lupin, looking worn and curled up on a sofa with what looked to be a gardening magazine. At the sight of Harry in the mirror, it seemed as if a jolt of electricity had run through him, and he suddenly got up, the magazine folded and neatly put on the table.

"Harry. What are you doing up so late? How are you?" he asked. For a few moments, Harry just looked between them, and couldn't help but feel so much warmth rushing inside him. It was almost surreal. The last time he'd seen someone else's face in a mirror was in the Mirror of Erised. The thought of his parents brought the graveyard seen to flash in his head, and his expression must have fallen a bit because Sirius was looking critically into the mirror.

"I'm fine," Harry lied automatically. Sirius grumbled something under his breath.

"Are you sure about that?" Lupin asked suddenly, startling Harry. Harry forced himself to smile. It wouldn't do anything to make them worry.

"Yeah. Just –" He interrupted himself with a yawn, which he quickly covered with his hand. His head was feeling a bit light, but it would be fine. He pulled his attention back to the scene in front of him, catching only the end of Sirius' sentence.

" - like when he was little. Its kind of cute," Sirius was muttering to Lupin, gesturing with his hands. Lupin just rolled his eyes, an indulging smile on his face.

"You haven't been sleeping," He said, looking at Harry. It was a statement and not a question. It almost looked like Sirius' ears perked upwards. Harry felt his face heat up.

"Its been a bit difficult to…" He paused, and he looked at their faces. They didn't look bored, like he had almost expected. They looked like they were patiently waiting for him to continue, and something twisted in Harry gut. Suddenly, the words he had been keeping in for so long came bubbling forward, like a dam that had been broken. Unlike when he had first met up with Hermione and Ron in the summer, he didn't shout. It was a different kind of pent-up emotion. There was no anger bubbling inside him. Instead, he felt so small, so very small and lonely. Tears had started running down his face without him even wanting to, but harry just kept talking, because it felt so _good_ to talk about his nightmares and the Dursleys, and Umbridge and Snape... He almost wished he could say that he felt triumphant at the end of it, like catching the snitch in a deciding match. It wasn't like that at all. It felt a lot more like in third year, when he'd fallen from his broom, filled with an empty cold.

From the other end of the mirror, Sirius was making small whining noises at the back of his throat, looking ready to jump through the mirror if it was possible. Lupin jabbed him in the side with an elbow, looking equally sympathetic.

"Deep breaths now," He said simply, and Harry complied, finding that the tears were slowing just a bit, and his throat ached, and he felt so light, but somehow it helped the shaking of his muscles. "I'm glad you told us," Lupin added, smiling in reassurance. Harry wanted to laugh, but it ended in a hiccough.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, feeling even more embarrassed. Sirius almost literally jumped forward, startling Harry.

"Don't ever apologize!" He said, sounding so serious but without a trace of anger. "You are family. If something is wrong, you tell us. I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Sirius looked almost proud at the end of it, sending Harry a cheeky grin that actually made him feel better.

"Thank you," Harry said, his voice small. The emptiness in the lower part of his chest was still there but it was now filling with tiny little sparks of bright happiness. Lupin wiped his hands on his coat, and straightened his back.

"Tea, Padfoot?" he asked, breaking the sombre mood. Sirius seemed to consider it, then nodded. "I'll be right back," With that, Lupin had moved out of view. Sirius turned his full attention to Harry.

"So kid. How has Hogwarts been since we last talked?" He asked. Harry could tell he was changing subjects. It made him feel glad, because at the moment he knew that just a few words wouldn't be able to ease his thoughts. Instead, he settled further into the pillows of the couch, thinking of where to start. Suddenly, a thought struck him.

"Did I actually ever tell you I created an army?" He began.

 **A/N: And cut. I'm terrible at writing sad characters. Well, practice = improvement, eh? Also I got super upset when I first read that (*spoilers if you haven't actually read the fifth book the whole way or ever*) Harry _never even_** ** _opened the package from Sirius until after he's dead! Agh! Harry why?_ (*end spoilers*) Thank you to all the lovely people who read my stories~! You all are amazing! *kiss* As usual, please tell me if I made any major errors that detract from the reading experience. I try to avoid them but... eh, I've left out letters at the end of words so many times in actual graded assignments/tests... my mind just leapfrogs over them, and skips ahead to a field of daisies or something.**

 **~CW**


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